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Centralised control of eye catching digital moving images

In order to provide modern and innovative digital out-of-home media at Düsseldorf Airport, and to offer the best possible visual advertising space to companies, the DUS AD BOARD project upgrades the arrivals areas with an innovative NEC digital out-of-home solution which is easily controlled from a central location.

As a listed building of considerable historic importance, it is crucial that any The Düsseldorf Airport is North Rhine-Westphalia’s gateway to the world. Along with the two hubs at Frankfurt and Munich, Düsseldorf has, as the only airport in Germany, an extensive long-haul network with connections to America, the Caribbean and Asia. Between 2004 and 2014 the number of flights has grown by more than 10,000 take-offs and landings. At the same time the number of passengers has continuously increased. In 2015 the number of travellers from the airport amounted to more than 22.5 million.

THE CHALLENGE

Along with the classic and digital advertising spaces in the passage and waiting-room areas, the task was to digitalise a wide-covering slide display area above the escalator. The limited viewing distance between the escalator and the advertising space required a display solution with a high pixel density which in addition meets the airport’s strict fire regulations. Another challenge was that only a minimal break between flight operations is available for maintenance or service access meaning the hardware selection required a maintenance free solution if at all possible.

During the course of the DUS AD BOARD project the Airport Media department worked in cooperation with Ben Hur, an independent supplier for digital media technology.

THE SOLUTION

Ben Hur GmbH is a software company which provides video and audio solutions for, among others areas, airports, retail outlets and digital signage. The company has maintained a longstanding partnership with NEC Display Solutions over a 10 year period.

“For the installation at the Düsseldorf Airport we evaluated the portfolio of various providers. We place great emphasis upon offering the best possible equipment at all times to our customers and NEC could provide that”, Walter Jünkering, the managing director of Ben Hur GmbH, explained. “NEC scored highly in particular when it came to matters regarding product quality: in Düsseldorf we could play back 4K content right from the start. Furthermore, the support provision was a major factor in reaching our decision. Whenever any difficulties occur technicians are quickly made available. Moreover we benefit from their frequent product training”.

As part of the modernisation, six video walls were installed at Düsseldorf Airport - comprising in total 97 46-inch models from the NEC XUN series. Since 2011 international brand names have been informing passengers about their current offers by using 16 X463UN displays on a DUS AD BOARD above the escalator. In order to simplify the installation the monitors were fixed to flexible Halfen rails behind the wall covering and this installation can be expanded at any time. In the case of maintenance or service requirements a technician can start up the wall electronically by using remote control and, for example, change the displays in a few simple steps meaning flight operations remain unaffected.

An additional DUS AD BOARD has been installed in the Gate A area. Here a special challenge was encountered as the wall had to be installed around a corner. In order to fill the gaps between the displays, Ben Hur GmbH installed a colour-coordinated LED strip between the respective third and fourth displays.

The displays from the XUN series prove especially convincing due to their small frame width. As a result, stunning, high-resolution video walls with barely perceptible image transitions can be set up. The display is designed for continuous operation and is thus especially suited for use at the airport ensuring excellent image quality and high product reliability. A consistent complete image is generated by the synchronisation of content over the entire monitor wall.

“The users can control and monitor nearly all the display functions by remote access. These include, among other things, manually controllable fans with which the temperature in the display can be monitored and regulated”, says Joachim Fischer, the General Manager for DACH Sales at NEC Display Solutions. “Particularly with large video walls and challenging installations like those at Düsseldorf Airport, thermal management is essential to ensure reliability and durability”.

THE RESULT

A content management system especially constructed for the airport by Ben Hur GmbH provides the finishing touch to the display solution. The entire concept of almost maintenance free displays and intelligent, uncomplicated content transmission with outstanding image quality even in 4K resolution has convinced the digital media management at the Düsseldorf Airport. “We have already installed four further new DUS AD BOARDs next to the corner monitor wall and the escalator, and have marketed these to international brand names. It is important for us to expand our digital out-of-home portfolio continuously, and as a result to be a leader of innovation in the area of state of the art airport advertising”, Bettina Spönemann, the manager in charge of digital media at Airport Media, informed us. “We are very pleased with the quality and especially the ease of use and the flexibility of the solutions - as are our customers who book the space for their advertising”.

The success speaks for itself: other airports such as Cologne and Hanover are also now taking advantage of the solutions produced jointly by Ben Hur and NEC Display Solutions which provide new digital options for advertising customers at airports.